Pentax pours forth four new shooters

Two DSLRs and two compacts

Common Topics

Even though PMA - the annual imaging event in Las Vegas - is only one week away, the big players in the photography industry aren't waiting to introduce this year's products, and Pentax is no exception, today launching two DSLRs and two compacts.

This DSLR, aimed more at the semi-professional, measures 141.5 x 101 x 70mm and weighs in at 715g (without battery). It supports JPEG in four compression steps and RAW (DNG or PEF formats selectable); 11-point autofocus with nine cross-sensors and individual AF-point selection; SD/SDHC card memory and will set you back £900 for the body only or £1000 for body and 18-55mm lens. It's due to ship in March of this year.

K200D: entry-level DLSR for the eager photo enthusiast

A treat is in store for the serious amateur snapper with the K200D: it boasts a 10.2-megapixel CCD; 11-point autofocus; ISO 100 to ISO 1600; 2.7in wide-angle monitor; 2.8f/s continual shooting mode; and SD/SDHC memory card expansion. It measures 133.5 x 95 x 74mm and weighs in at 630g without battery and will set you back 580 of your hard-earned pounds when purchased with an 18-55mm zoom lens. It'll also be available in March.

Optio E50: entry-level compact camera

Replacing the E40, the new E50 entry-level compact is an 8.1-megapixel camera with 3x zoom lens. It also features a 2.4in display; ISO 100 to 1600; 10MB built-in memory; face-recognition and shake-reduction technologies; and measures 96.5 x 60 x 22mm. It weighs 165g. Available in February, this is expected to cost around £100.

Optio S12: high-end compact replacing the S10

The 12-megapixel Optio S12 features a 2.5in TFT monitor with anti-reflective coating; 3x optical zoom; sensitivity up to ISO 3200; full automatic mode and 18 picture modes; and a movie function with 30f/s.

It comes with 21MB internal memory plus SD card expansion; measures 87 x 54 x 21mm; weighs in at 130g; is available in silver, black, pink and metallic blue; and will be available in March of this year priced around £200.

For all this week's major photography launches check out Register Hardware'sCameras channel. Our camera reviews can be found here